The medical center ranks 7th in acute care VA facilities in the US

Cincinnati’s Veterans Affairs Medical Center recently improved its quality level to one of the highest in the country, according to an annual ranking published by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Medical Center’s performance was rated five stars, the highest possible score, which places it in the top 10%. The VA also improved its national ranking to seventh out of 130 acute care VA facilities in the United States, up from ninth last year.

“From my perspective as a veteran, I was most surprised to find out that the VA has such high-quality care,” says Kelly Field, a U.S. Army veteran and public affairs specialist for the Cincinnati VA. “Primary care is just the first stop along the way. From there, a whole network of different options opens up to the veteran.”

“I think what separates us from the private sector is a full approach to wellness and preventative care, making sure veterans stay at their maximum functional baseline, whatever they’re dealing with,” says Todd Sledge, supervisory public affairs officer for the Cincinnati VA. “The VA also can do research and lead many medical innovations. There’s a lot of research that shows how the VA is often out in front of the medical culture before anybody else.”

Veterans often have unique health care needs

VA care is often associated with combat-related injuries and conditions like anxiety or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). But even veterans who have never seen combat are regularly diagnosed with diabetes, foot and knee problems, hearing loss, tobacco addiction and other conditions that can be traced to their military careers.

“There are certain illnesses and ailments that veterans deal with more than the general population,” Sledge says. “That doesn’t mean you couldn’t get your health care somewhere else. We just know and believe this is the best place for veterans to be here in Cincinnati.”

Many care professionals at the VA recognize the distinctive challenges their patients face because they’re veterans themselves or have close connections to family members who have served in the armed forces. In addition, some of the hospital’s primary care teams are specifically dedicated to certain groups, such as Veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Another team works exclusively with female veterans, both in the main medical center and at some community locations.

Sledge emphasizes that care isn’t just for veterans with an immediate medical need.

“If you just came in and said, ‘Hey, I really haven’t had much medical follow up in many years, and I’m really just here to get a physical,’ you might qualify for a full-service head to toe million-dollar workup. Veterans can also get consults if they need an MRI, a CT scan, blood work or to see a specialist,” Sledge says.

Easier access to specialty care and advanced treatments

In addition to primary health care, the VA provides a wide variety of specialized services, many of which are uniquely related to veterans’ health and special needs.

“We’re very fortunate here in Cincinnati that we have men’s and women’s residential inpatient programs as well as outpatient programs,” Sledge says. “We’re also helping veterans who are depressed, dealing with anxiety or suicide prevention.”

“A lot of the doctors that work here are also doctors at the University of Cincinnati, and we also get medical residents from UC. We’re getting quality doctors with quality experience, and we’re also getting the benefit of the newest medicine,” Field adds.

In the last two years, the Cincinnati VA has expanded its general health and wellness options for Cincinnati veterans by launching a whole health program.

“We have a lot of nutrition programs, plus a program for veterans who are age 80 or older to help give them exercise routines that work for them and maintain a healthy lifestyle as they age. We have evening programs to help veterans stop smoking. We also offer yoga, tai chi, meditation and Zumba classes,” Field says.

“I think another thing veterans aren’t aware of is that we have a very robust eye center,” Sledge says. “We not only provide eyeglasses but the type of procedures and preventions they do with eye diseases and repairs and all the things that go with it. It’s a tremendous cost saving to the veterans.”

“There are many things for veterans to take advantage of that normal insurance wouldn’t cover. They just have to engage in their benefit process,” Sledge says.

Because specialized care is an integral part of Veterans’ benefits, providers and patients don’t feel like they need to hold back when the health or well-being of a patient is at stake.

“Say a veteran is trying to lose weight. The private physician says, ‘I think you should see a nutritionist’ or ‘you should see a specialist.’ Well, of course, that’s going to be [an] additional cost to the person. At the VA, we offer this stuff all for free. It’s a full spectrum. One of the other things that happens is if a veteran is scheduled for multiple appointments, the VA will make every effort to make sure they’re all scheduled on the same day. That’s a huge benefit,” Sledge says.

Community clinics and technology bring care closer to home

The VA extends its reach with six community outpatient clinics throughout the Tri-State, located in Butler County, Clermont County and Brown County in Ohio, plus Bellevue and Florence, Kentucky and Southeast Indiana. The locations were intentionally selected to ensure that all area veterans have a clinic that can be reached from their homes in 30 minutes or less.

“Those clinics not only provide primary care capabilities but some specialty services like podiatry, mental health, audiology and speech. There’s a lot of convenience available at the clinics even if veterans never come to Clifton for services,” Sledge says.

Care can get even closer through the VA’s telehealth program. Certain in-home care services are available through a veteran’s computer or mobile devices.

“For example, it may not be necessary for a veteran to come in and report routine labs if they’re diabetic,” Sledge says. “There are also mental health check-in options that enable Veterans to report to their clinicians regularly.”

Another link is My HealtheVet, a web-based platform that allows veterans to communicate directly with their providers. Veterans can order prescriptions online, keep track of upcoming appointments, get secure access to their personal health records and find other resources.

“The laundry list of services many Veterans aren’t aware of just goes on and on and on,” Sledge says.